Emergency apparatus mounted on the bottom of a metal-teeming vessel

ABSTRACT

A diverter trough is slidably mounted below the known slide gate which controls the stream from a holding vessel with a bottom teeming outlet. A hole through the trough permits normal teeming to proceed when the trough is advanced to pouring position. When the stream is restricted or shut off by the freezing of metal in the gate nozzle, an oxygen lance carried by the trough may be aligned with the nozzle to open it. If this cannot be achieved, the trough is retracted to intercept the descending stream of metal and divert the flow to an emergency collecting system. The trough also has an argon-supply pipe for sweeping away &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;bugs&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; from it while maintaining a protective atmosphere. The hole in the trough for normal teeming may be omitted. In that case, the trough is normally fully retracted to an out of the way position during such teeming.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Joseph E. L'rso Shaler Township, Allegheny County, Pa. [21] Appl. No. 804,635 [22] Filed Mar. 5, 1969 [45] Patented June 8,1971 [73] Assignee United States Steel Corporation [54] EMERGENCY APPARATUS MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM OF A METAL-TEEMING VESSEL 6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 266/38, 266/34 [51] lnt.Cl F27d 3/16 [50] Field of Search 266/34, 34 PT, 38, 39; 13/33 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,957,936 10/1960 Bugge 266/38 Primary E.raminerGerald A. Dost AltorneyWalter P. Wood ABSTRACT: A diverter trough is slidably mounted below the known slide gate which controls the stream from a holding vessel with a bottom teeming outlet. A hole through the trough permits normal teeming to proceed when the trough is advanced to pouring position. When the stream is restricted or shut off by the freezing of metal in the gate nozzle, an oxygen lance carried by the trough may be aligned with the nozzle to open it. if this cannot be achieved, the trough is retracted to intercept the descending stream of metal and divert the flow to an emergency collecting system. The trough also has an argon-supply pipe for sweeping away bugs" from it while maintaining a protective atmosphere. The hole in the trough for normal teeming may be omitted. In that case, the trough is normally fully retracted to an out of the way position during such teeming.

PATENTEUJUH 8I97l SHEET 1 OF 5 IN l/EN TOR JOSEPH E. URSD Alforn PATENTEU JUN 8:971 3,583,692

sum 2 0F 5 I INVENTOR JOSEPH E. URSO PATENTEUJUN 8l97| SHEET 3 BF 5 INVENTOR JOSEPH E. U950 A I Iomey SHEET 0F 5 PATENTEU JUN 8l97l INVENTOR JOSEPH E. URSO Altar/my PATENTEDJUN 8m: 3583592 SHEET 5 BF 5 INVEW TOR JOSEPH E. URSO Attorney EMERGENCY APPARATUS MOUNTED ON THE BOTTOM OF A METAL-TEEMING VESSEL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the continuous casting of molten metal, e.g., steel, it is common to draw multiple casting streams or strands from a vessel having the desired number of bottom ports. The vessel is located between a transport ladle and the molds forming the several strands. Each port is controlled by a sliding gate such as that ofShapland U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,465. By alternately advancing solid or blank gates and gates with nozzles therethrough, a pouring stream may be alternately closed off or permitted to flow freely. The nozzles in these gates may be throttled or partially closed by freezing metal thus obstructing the pouring stream. Droplets of metal (bugs" may collect under the nozzle and interfere with proper gate operation. Ifa stream cannot be closed off when desired, its continued flow constitutes an emergency involving not only economic loss but a possible hazard to personnel.

I have invented apparatus adapted to be mounted on the vessel bottom to take care of all these emergency or abnormal conditions.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a preferred embodiment of the invention, I mount a trough for sliding movement under the known sliding gate and provide power means for actuating it from normal position to oxygen-lancing position or stream-diverting position. A hole through the trough aligned with the gate nozzle when the trough is in normal position, permits teeming under normal conditions. On partial plugging of the nozzle, movement ofthe trough brings the outlet of an oxygen lance thereon into position to burn the nozzle free. On further movement of the trough, it comes into a position such as to intercept the stream and divert it away from the mold. Argon nozzles carried by the trough are directed so that jets therefrom, in the normal position of the trough, will sweep accumulated droplets from the bottom ofthe trough or nozzle gate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A complete understanding ofthe invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of my emergency apparatus separate from the teeming vessel, to the sliding gate of which it is adapted to function with;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the plane of lines III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial section through the pouring nozzle of a teeming vessel showing the invention in place below the known sliding gate;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are partial sections taken along the planes of lines V-V and VI-VI of FIG. 4 with parts in elevation;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a modification;

FIG. 8 is a partial section taken on the plane of line VIII-VIII of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 9 and I0 are partial sections corresponding to FIG. 4 showing the parts in alternate positions;

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the modification shown in FIG. 7;

Referring now in detail to the drawings, and for the present, particularly to FIG. 4, a teeming or holding vessel 10, which may be a tundish or a degassing chamber, comprises a shell 11 ofsteel plate and a refractory lining 12 in which a pouring nozzle 13 is located. For controlling the outflow of molten metal through nozzle 13, a sliding gate according to the aforementioned Shapland patent is mounted on the bottom of the vessel. This gate comprises a base I4 suspended by struts I5, rails 16 having ways 16a on which ported or blank panels slide, actuated by a fluid-pressure cylinder and piston 17. A ported gate slide block or panel 18 is shown with its nozzle aligned with that of vessel 10. A similar block without a port may be inserted under nozzle 13 by advancing it down slides 19 onto ways 16 secured to the vessel bottom whereupon it may be pushed therealong by the piston of cylinder 17 to displace the ported block. The construction described so far is known and forms no part ofmy invention.

Rails 16 have a second set of ways 22 formed thereon (FIGS. 5 and 6.) A trough 20 composed of steel plate with a refractory lining has laterally extending flanges 21 which slide on ways 22. The latter are constantly urged upwardly by Belleville springs 23 spaced therealong. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the lining of trough 20 is so shaped that it will drain toward the left end any liquid metal caught in the right end. The trough has a head block 24 at the right end thereof and a port 25 adjacent the block which may be aligned with the nozzle in block 18 for normal pouring, as shown in FIG. 4. The block 24 and the adjacent end portion of the trough have argon pipes and passages 26 therein supplied by a pipe 27 and oxygen pipes and passage 28 supplied by pipe 29. As shown in FIG. 2, jets or argon from passages 26 sweep the lower surface of trough 20 adjacent port 25.

A spacer tube 30 has one end welded to block 24 and at the other end has a portion of a disconnectable tongue-and-slot joint 31 which connects tube 30 to the piston rod of a fluidpressure cylinder and piston 32. The latter are suspended from plate 14 by shackles 33. Pipes 27 and 29, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 communicate, respectively, with passages 34 and 35 in one portion ofjoint 31, into which extension pipes 27' and 29 are screwed. Pipes 27 and 29slide through sleeve bearings 36 in shackles 33. T-fittings in these pipes have flexible hose connections 37 extending therefrom to fixed piping from sources of the two gases.

From the foregoing description, it will doubtless be evident that, with the trough 20 in the position shown in FIG. 4, normal teeming will occur through hole 25 when the closed or blank slide-gate panel is displaced by the ported panel 18 on being pushed into the illustrated position. If bugs" accumulate on the bottom of the trough, opening a valve in pipe line 27' will cause argon jets to be discharged therebelow as shown in FIG. 4. This will ordinarily blow the bugs" away and supply a protective atmosphere around the stream. If the nozzle in gate panel 18 becomes restricted by freezing metal, the trough may be retracted to the position shown in FIG. 9, in which oxygen passage 29 is brought into alignment with hole 25. Opening a valve in pipe line 29' will therefore discharge an oxygen jet which will heat metal frozen in the nozzle by oxidation of iron, to free the restriction. If it should become necessary to abort a cast while in progress and if stoppage of metal flow by displacing panel 18 with a closed or blank panel should be impossible for any reason, trough 20 is further retracted to the position shown in FIG. 10 in which it will intercept the stream through panel 18 and divert it to an emergency collecting trough or vessel 38.

Figures 7 and I1 illustrate a modification generally similar to the form of the invention described above except for the omission of hole 25 in trough 20'. This means that the position of the trough for normal pouring is the fully retracted position shown. Argon passages and piping 39 therefore extend to the discharge end of the trough. Oxygen passages 40 are similarly extended.

It is thus apparent that my invention is adapted to deal effectively with the several abnormal conditions which are likely to arise during continuous casting. The apparatus is simple and easy to maintain and is of such character and design as to cooperate with the known slide gate for the outlets of bottompour teeming vessels.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment and a modification of my invention, I intend to cover as well any change or other modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

lclaim:

1. In metal-teeming apparatus including a holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a sliding gate to control the stream therefrom, the combination therewith of a diverter trough slidable below said gate, said trough being effective, when in diverting position, to intercept said stream and discharge metal laterally of said outlet, and power means for actuating said trough longitudinally, said trough having passages therein discharging jets of gas transversely ofsaid stream.

2. ln metal-teeming apparatus including a holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a sliding gate to control the stream therefrom, the combination therewith of a diverter trough slidable below said gate, said trough being effective, when in diverting position, to intercept said stream and discharge metal laterally of said outlet, and power means for actuating 4 said trough longitudinally, said trough having a passage for oxidizing gas extending upwardly therefrom, whereby ajet of gas may be discharged toward said gate by suitably positioning said trough.

3.- ln metal-teeming apparatus including a holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a sliding gate to control the stream therefrom, the combination therewith of a diverter trough slidable below said gate, said trough being effective, when in diverting position, to intercept said stream and discharge metal laterally of said outlet, and power means for actuating said trough longitudinally, said trough having a hole therein whereby, on alignment of the hole with said outlet, normal pouring takes place therethrough.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 characterized by a releasable joint between said power means and the trough.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, characterized by a spacer sleeve between said joint and the trough.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, characterized by said power means being a fluid-pressurecylinder and piston suspended from said vessel. 

1. In metal-teeming apparatus including a holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a sliding gate to control the stream therefrom, the combination therewith of a diverter trough slidable below said gate, said trough being effective, when in diverting position, to intercept said stream and discharge metal laterally of said outlet, and power means for actuating said trough longitudinally, said trough having passages therein discharging jets of gas transversely of said stream.
 2. In metal-teeming apparatus including a holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a sliding gate to control the stream therefrom, the combination therewith of a diverter trough slidable below said gate, said trough being effective, when in diverting position, to intercept said stream and discharge metal laterally of said outlet, and power means for actuating said trough longitudinally, said trough having a passage for oxidizing gas extending upwardly therefrom, whereby a jet of gas may be discharged toward said gate by suitably positioning said trough.
 3. In metal-teeming apparatus including a holding vessel having a bottom outlet and a sliding gate to control the stream therefrom, the combination therewith of a diverter trough slidable below said gate, said trough being effective, when in diverting position, to intercept said stream and discharge metal laterally of said outlet, and power means for actuating said trough longitudinally, said trough having a hole therein whereby, on alignment of the hole with said outlet, normal pouring takes place therethrough.
 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 characterized by a releasable joint between said power means and the trough.
 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, characterized by a spacer sleeve between said joint and the trough.
 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, characterized by said power means being a fluid-pressure cylinder and piston suspended from said vessel. 